Career

Want to spend your life working with animals? There are lots of opportunities to build an amazing career.

Becoming qualified as a veterinary nurse opens up a wide range of career options. Most of our graduates start work in vet clinics as a nurse or nursing assistant. With experience and their passion for animals, veterinary nurses can have successful careers that lead them far and wide.

Popular Career Paths

  • Head or senior veterinary nurse of a veterinary clinic

  • Specialist veterinary nurse – companion or large animal clinics

  • Practice manager of a veterinary clinic

  • Veterinary nurse for animal welfare or conservation organisations worldwide

  • Zoo veterinary nurse

  • Academic tutor or lecturer

  • Doggy daycare, kennels, or cattery assistant, manager or owner

  • Service dog care and training e.g. guide dogs

  • Ministry of Primary Industries roles e.g. dog handlers

  • Animal trainer or behaviour consultant

  • Animal health product sales representative or manager

  • Animal nutrition sales representative or manager

  • Pet retail industry roles

Veterinary nursing can be your ticket to the world! You can work with your qualification in most places overseas. Many New Zealand trained veterinary nurses travel and work in Australia, Canada or the UK. Some of our graduates have volunteered or worked in international animal welfare or conservation projects as a veterinary nurse. The sky is the limit for what you want to achieve with your veterinary nursing qualification.

Employment opportunities for veterinary nurses in New Zealand remains high. There is a strong demand for Vet Nurse Plus graduates, with well over 95% of our graduates in jobs within six months of graduation.